Resource Talk |
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Providing information about changing services and resources in our community February 2005 |
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Contents:
Caresharing Overlake Hospital Senior Care publishes Caresharing, a newsletter for family caregivers of older adults, three times a year. There is no charge for a subscription. Call (425) 688-5800 to be added to the mailing list.
Black History Month A community calendar for events and programs offered throughout the month of February can be found on the City of Seattle’s website. The 2005 theme is “Healthy Body, Mind, and Soul.”
2-1-1 Day Mark your calendars for February 11th (2-11). Check on the nationwide progress of 211 state call centers at http://www.211.org/.
Resource Spotlight It is estimated that by age 18, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually assaulted by a trusted person. Five hundred families were served last year by the Response Center.
Total hits for CRO during 2004: 1,273,066
Top 5 category searches on CRO during 2004: 1. Housing: 11,949 2. Shelter: 5,001 3. Food: 4,982 4. Mental Health - Outpatient Service: 3,756 5. Youth: 3,599
Tsunami Help The Seattle Times has compiled a list of agencies accepting financial aid for victims of the recent tsunami disaster. See the following website for more information. Google also maintains a website of listings.
Did you know? Families may self-refer for support services from CPS (DSHS- Children and Family Services Division – Child Protective Services) to prevent abuse/neglect without risk of being investigated.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) The number of EITC filers in Washington State has increased each year since 2000. Nearly 335,000 Washington State workers filed for the EITC in 2004 and received more than $539 million in returns. Find out if you qualify by using the IRS’s EITC assistant.
Are you or is someone you know looking for a rewarding career opportunity? Crisis Clinic has openings for an Administrative Assistant and a Community Information Line Supervisor.
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Older Adults: Independence Versus InterdependenceAmanda Woodland, Caregiver Specialist
Unfortunately, in this society, a communal setting usually turns out to be an assisted living facility or a nursing home, or possibly an adult family home. While good continuum of care models are available, such as through Providence Mount Saint Vincent, Nikkei Concerns, or Eden Alternative facilities, most still tend to isolate generations from one another. Not only is their medical model of care delivery extremely expensive, with a tendency to homogenize services, but there is still an unacceptable level of violence and abuse in institutional settings and an overall lack of respect for the dignity and uniqueness of the individual.
While receiving home care may isolate some older adults, research has shown that in fact most seniors who have their own homes prefer to age there. They find it very traumatic to move and see it as one step closer to death. Often they do have a network of neighbors, friends, and other ties in the community where they live, and to move in with families who may live in a different location or state can cut them off from their friends and support, leading to the very isolation it is intended to allay. In the situation with a frail elderly couple, where one partner needs a lot of care, having someone come in to provide assistance can allow both of them to remain together and improve their overall quality of life.
Families are not a panacea either, and the success of combining extended generations under one roof depends a great deal on past family history, relationships, as well as cultural factors. Basic character traits are not going to radically change with age. A parent who was abusive, narcissistic, had substance abuse problems, or suffered from depression or other mental health issues is going to remain difficult to deal with. If you add a disabling physical condition, or deteriorating mental acuity through stroke or a disease like Alzheimer’s, it can be a recipe for disaster. Sometimes when a family member moves in with an older adult, ostensibly to care for them, sadly it can be to exploit them financially, because that adult child has no resources of his or her own and no other place to turn.
Many older persons who remain at home do not become isolated, do not have poor quality of life, and in general are not self-neglectful through inability to provide for their own care. A co-existing problem with the myth of independence is the notion of being a “burden.” This present generation of seniors is more likely than the next (the so-called Baby Boom generation) to refuse services, not accept help from professionals or family, but try to “go it alone” due to their particular history and life experiences during the Depression and the Second World War.
One answer is to promote the interdependence of families and individuals. The notion of “independence,” while part of the American culture, is in fact a false concept. We are all interdependent, and most of us would starve to death if we didn’t have access to our local supermarket. What is really needed is to plan age- and disability-friendly communities. The initiation, impetus, and planning for such communities has to start at the local city level by those who have a vested interest in sustaining their communities and making the unique requirements of the aging and disabled a priority. What are some of the elements that are necessary? First, basic needs have to be addressed, including for shelter, safety, and access to food and health care. This includes the right type of barrier-free, accessible and affordable housing and an adequate transportation system. If the goal is for individuals to live at home, then they and their caregivers have to be provided the right supports. Opportunities for social and civic engagement, work, volunteering, and participation in local decision-making are vital to a thriving, inclusive community that balances the needs of all ages and all capabilities. • New Resource Specialist
Hannah is new to Seattle. Most recently, she worked as the education newspaper reporter at the Times Herald in Port Huron, Michigan. (Yes, this is where there is lots of snow right now.) She received her BS in Communications from Liberty University in Virginia. Come see the pictures of her two-year-old daughter, Bethany, at her desk as well as the bobble head of her favorite Detroit Piston’s basketball star, Ben Wallace. Welcome Hannah! It’s good to have you on our team. • Notable Resource Changes· This is the first year that Washington State residents can claim sales tax refunds. If you've been saving your receipts (preferable, because you'll most likely be able to claim more), great. But if you have not saved your receipts, you can use the optional table determined by your income level to figure out approximately what your refund would be. The main form to print is located on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p600.pdf. If you will have not been saving your sale receipts, use the following table to see what you can claim: http://dor.wa.gov/content/home/TaxTopics/FederalDeduction.aspx. (King County residents will want to remember to add their 2.3% local sales tax to their state sales tax of 6.5%.) · YWCA Opportunity Place Apartments will be accepting pre-applications for the wait list from February 8th - February 12th. Pre-applications may be submitted to their front desk at 2024 Third Avenue during that time. Individuals may also fax applications to (206) 436-8690. · Rise n' Shine moved New Year’s Eve to 417 23rd Ave S, Seattle. · Blessed Sacrament Church Food Bank, is a new addition to our database. Located in the University area (NE 50th St and 8th Ave NE). Serves any household within the parish boundaries, which are the Ship Canal on the south, 1st Ave NE on the west, NE 70th St on the north, and on the east a line following 20th Ave NE south from NE 70th to Ravenna Blvd then southeast to 25th Ave NE, then south to Montlake Blvd and the Ship Canal. Also serves anyone who is a registered parishioner at Blessed Sacrament Church. Open 10:30am-Noon, F. Occasionally offers non-food items. Proof of address is required for each member of the household. May obtain food once per week. Home delivery can be arranged for homebound/disabled persons living within parish boundaries. · New application hours for Aloha Inn: Applications are usually accepted between 10am–Noon, W, and on between 5-7pm, Th, at YWCA Opportunity Place 2024 3rd Ave (3rd and Virginia) in Seattle. Applications are not available at Aloha Inn. · January 14th, 2005, was the last day for all food programs at Memorial Plaza or “The Wall.” This includes Operation Sack Lunch, The Lord’s Table and all other food programs that were previously available in this location. There will eventually be a permanent site, yet to be determined. • Events·
Attend a faith-based rally for marriage equality and equal civil
rights on the Washington State Capitol Steps in Olympia on Valentine’s Day,
Monday, February 14th. Advocacy workshops: 9-11am; Noon, Rally.
·
Tour the new Swedish Medical Center
emergency room and specialty complex, prior to its March 1st
opening. Will offer refreshments, informational booths, and children's activities.
10am-4pm. There is no fee. ·
North
Seattle Family Center will have a lunar New Year celebration Noon-2:30pm,
February 5th at Meadowbrook Community Center. Enjoy a lion dance,
food, games, and crafts. Learn how this holiday is celebrated in China,
Korea, Vietnam and other cultures. $5 suggested donation to support ESL
programs. A celebration of African communities will be from 3-6 pm, February/March Resource HighlightsSome of the service pages we update here in the Resource Center specify specific months for events, programs, opportunities, deadlines, and other resources. This column attempts to highlight these available resources that might otherwise go unnoticed in our community information database. Crisis Line volunteers and CIL team members should always make referrals from CRS instead of this newsletter. Additional information in CRS, such as eligibility requirements, program service hours, fees, etc., will assist with making the best referrals possible. February Resource Highlights
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE - TAX-AIDE Volunteers: Training is held in January, and may be
in the form of a 4-5 day class or self-study. Volunteers provide free
income tax assistance at numerous locations throughout Washington.
Electronic filing is available at some sites. Volunteers receive training on
preparing the 1040 series of income tax forms. Training materials are
provided by the IRS and a certifying test is required. Individuals are
encouraged to volunteer at least two hours per week from
KING COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - ROADS SERVICES DIVISION ROADSIDE VEGETATION CONTROL PROGRAM Sprays areas of unincorporated King county with herbicides from February through September to control vegetation. Provides information about when particular neighborhoods will be sprayed or how to request that a property or neighborhood NOT be sprayed.
KIRKLAND PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES - KIRKLAND COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTER Free legal consultation is available. Assists with wills, power of attorney, estate planning, etc. Income tax assistance is available Feb.1st through April 15th by AARP volunteers. An appointment is required. Call for an appointment. Transportation is provided only by appointment and only for City of Kirkland residents.
MARY BRIDGE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL - BRIDGES - A CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN Provides support groups for families with children. With others their own age, children express their feelings though discussion and specially designed activities. Simultaneous support groups are offered for the parents. Call for an intake appointment. New families may join ongoing groups in November, February, April, and September. Intakes for individual counseling are always ongoing.
SEATTLE WORKS Exceed:
Offers a year-long internship opportunity on the Board of Directors of a
local nonprofit. Application cycles are in February and August for
EXCEED.
SENIOR SERVICES OF SEATTLE/KING COUNTY SENIOR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE Income Tax Assistance: Provides information on locations of tax assistance sites and programs which will send income tax assistance volunteers to the homes of homebound seniors or people with disabilities. Program begins in February.
SENIOR SERVICES OF SEATTLE/KING COUNTY - NORTHSHORE SENIOR CENTER FINANCIAL SERVICES AND LEGAL INFORMATION Provides AARP tax preparation assistance from Feb 1-April 15.
SENIOR SERVICES OF SEATTLE/KING COUNTY - SOUTHEAST SEATTLE SENIOR CENTER TAX INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE Tax information and assistance is available. Project is sponsored by AARP volunteers. By appointment only, on Tuesday during the months of February -April 15th only. March Resource Highlights
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES - FAMILY CENTER (SOUTH KING) KENT COLD WEATHER SHELTER PROGRAM During
severe weather, provides motel vouchers for homeless seniors, individuals
with disabilities, and families in Kent. Program operates when the
temperature is 35 degrees and below or when snow is predicted from November
1st to
CENTRAL AREA MOTIVATION PROGRAM Offers limited emergency cold-weather motel vouchers during winter months (November-March).
FAMILY AND YOUTH SERVICES SEATTLE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM Provides subsidized jobs to economically disadvantaged youth in order for them to develop positive work habits and gain job skills. Work placement is in public and private non-profit agencies. Consists of one half-day remedial academic work and one half-day work experience for youth in jeopardy of dropping out of school. Also provides full-day work experience. Youth can work up to 30 hours/week at minimum wage. Program begins in late June and runs for 7 weeks. Applications available after the 2nd week in March at Seattle Parks and Recreation community centers, Seattle Neighborhood Service Centers, a variety of social service agencies throughout Seattle, and the SYEP program office.
FAMILY SERVICES – TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE WINTER RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES Provides winter shelter for families who are homeless and have exhausted all other shelter options; services available only from October through March. Provides emergency motel vouchers for Seattle families with children under age 18, October through March.
HIGHLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN AND WORKING PARENTS PROGRAMS Provides counseling, academic advising, job search assistance, support groups, an evening lecture series, and classes and workshops on a variety of topics, including job search, career choice, self-esteem, assertiveness, and women in transition. Offers low-cost introductory computer classes and resource referrals, an annual Women's Celebration, a multicultural International Women's Day event each March.
HUMANE SOCIETY FOR SEATTLE/KING COUNTY Spring Animal Care workshops are held March through May
OVERLAKE SERVICE LEAGUE Camp, summer school, and tutoring scholarships are available for children in low-income families and children with disabilities. Must apply starting in March for camp and summer school. Apply for tutoring assistance year-round.
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION ALKI COMMUNITY CENTER Registration begins March 30th, call for more information.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS WASHINGTON Winter Games: Basketball, downhill skiing, Nordic skiing, figure skating, and speed ice-skating. Held in March. •
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This article grew out of a
conversation I had with a staff member concerning independence and
aging. The staff member questioned the value behind offering services,
such as home health care or chore, to help aging or persons with disabilities
remain “independent” in their homes on the grounds that services and ideas
like this perpetuate the isolation of older adults in America. A better
goal might be to have older adults live in more communal settings or with
families.